The Windows Preach: The Resurrection Window
Easter Sunday
April 16, 2006
Today we gather in the glow of the Resurrection. Previous to this day on each Wednesday evening of Lent and then on Maundy Thursday and Holy Saturday we had the opportunity to look at the stained glass windows along the side of the church. Because it was night we had to project images of the window on the screen. We called this series: “The Windows Preach.” On each successive evening we learned about these windows:
- Alpha and Omega
- Lamp and Lamb
- Ship and Fish
- Praying Hands and Rainbow
- Three intertwined Circles (Trinity)
- Crown, Cross and Orb (UCC symbol)
- Wheat and Grapes
- Butterfly and Lily.
Today we are looking at the final window in our series. The final and grandest window of them all will preach to us on this Easter morning. This window is larger than all the others and it is the newest of our stained glass windows. It is the Resurrection Window at the back of our church. Sometimes the choir has been at a disadvantage when we have heard “the windows preach” on Lenten evenings because the pictures were on a screen facing the congregation. Today the choir has the advantage because they are looking right at the window preaching to us today: The Resurrection Window.
Do your remember when it was installed? Monday, March 25, 2002. It was a marvelous experience. After some difficulties in deciding upon a design, choosing a company, and negotiating a reasonable price the window committee accepted a design from Daniels Studios in
Most of us saw the window for the first time on Sunday, but the previous Monday was special. During the day those of us in the office had watched Denis and Janine Daniels install the window. It was fun seeing how each pane had to be lifted up and then placed in its proper position. Over the space of hours we could see the light changing as the clear glass was replaced with multi-hued colored glass. It was hard to stick with our work. We were tempted to peak in every once in a while to see how things were progressing. The church gradually became darker as each pane was installed.
Amazingly the whole window was in place by the afternoon and the Danielses left for their home in Soldiers Grove. We congratulated them on a job well done. But things didn’t stop there. Some marvelous changes continued to take place as the sun began to set and shine directly through the window panes.
As this happened the refraction of light changed and the colors moved about the sanctuary in varying hues and intensities. Then the light started to focus on the front of the sanctuary and the various colors of the rainbow settled around the cross. But that was not all. Somehow a heart shape formed around the cross itself. We were amazed. Audrey, in fact, was beside herself. She described the experience as sacred and holy.
Indeed it was. And is. This church is different with this window in place. Over the years since 2002 we have unfortunately grown used to this magnificent piece of art work. Not enough of us glance up as we are leaving worship and say “wow!” Denis Daniels first described this masterpiece as the “Resurrection Window” when he presented this design to us. Indeed, it captures the essence of the Resurrection.
Why? How? Because the Resurrection to me is particularly an emotional, visual, spiritual experience. It is not something to be rationally explained in ABC fashion. It is not something to be dissected like we had to dissect frogs when I was in high school biology. The Resurrection is something to be experienced and felt. The Resurrection is something that affects each of us in a particular way even though all of us share in the benefits of Christ’s Resurrection from the dead.
In our Gospel Lesson today we heard about the first visitors to the empty tomb: Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome. They were shocked to see the stone rolled away from the tomb. Then a young man surprised them by telling them that Jesus was not dead, but alive! They were shocked into silence. But eventually the word got out. Their shock turned to awe, and their silence turned into shouts of joy.
For these early disciples the Resurrection was a growing, enlarging experience. Growing and enlarging to a vibrant, living faith in the Living Lord. For them Resurrection was not something that could be nailed down ----- like a coffin. It was a living experience with the Living Lord. They knew that “God is still speaking.” Perhaps this is why Mark ends his Gospel so abruptly, without any neat conclusion.
I believe this is one reason why our Window Committee chose not to have an obviously representational figure in our church’s new window.
Ÿ No picture of Jesus ----- especially not Jesus coming out of the chimney!
Ÿ No last supper, a la Leonardo Da Vinci or anyone else.
Ÿ No wine chalice or loaf of bread.
Rather an artistic and impressionistic rendering of the glory of the Resurrection. One in which each of us could find something special and meaningful. For me looking at the wonderful colors in an upswept pattern has been exhilarating. Sometimes I’ve seen an Easter Lily. Other times I’ve seen a Butterfly. My experience is different with each viewing.
This is how it was on the Day of Resurrection. In our Bible we have the varying Gospel accounts and the numerous personal experiences of the risen Christ. We see a movement and growth as the early Christian church comes to understand more and more what it means to live in the Resurrection light ----- and what sorts of continuing sacrifices are necessary, even in the glow of the Resurrection. We see people like Peter grow and mature. We see people like Paul change and develop. We see women actively participating as the first witnesses. We see a community form and become filled with the Spirit. We see an understanding made real by continuing encounters with the risen Christ.
My prayer for us on this Resurrection Day is that we may also be such a spirit-filled, growing community of Christ’s people.
Growing in understanding.
Growing in appreciation.
Growing in faith.
Growing in love.
Growing as we listen to the still speaking God.
Today we look at this beautiful Resurrection Window and bask in its glory. Later as we leave this church may that glory be refracted and reflected in each of us ----- that we, in the words of our Communion Prayer of Thanksgiving, may be a “rainbow of hope in an uncertain world.”
Amen.
